Chapter 3

As I approached the entrance of WinterCrest High, a dark, suffocating wave of fear washed over me. A multitude of students streamed in the same direction, and more were arriving, offering a glimmer of hope—I could seamlessly merge into the crowd, fading into the sea of faces and escaping notice.

Pushing open the doors, an eerie hush fell over the crowd, and it may have been my imagination, but it felt as though everyone stopped and stared at me. Some exchanged low whispers with one another. My heart pounded; blood rushed to my cheeks as I hurried past them towards the administrator's office. The door stood ajar, and a post-it note on the handle read, 'Be back in 10 minutes – Greene.' Uncertain how long it had been there, I entered the office. A faint scent of sage and vanilla filled the air, adding a welcoming touch. Glancing around, I confirmed the room was indeed empty, seizing the opportunity to calm my nerves before a potential panic attack ensued.

Deep breath in, breathe out. Deep breath in, breathe out.

Instantly, my body relaxed. After recomposing myself, I took in the office's decor. It was evident that someone harbored a love for plants (anthophilic). Potted plants adorned every surface, and ivy vines elegantly lined the corners of the room. Dominating the space was a substantial wooden desk at the room's center. Positioned at each corner were two inviting blue armchairs, accompanied by small, round rosewood tables.

I noticed two framed pictures on the principal's desk, presumably of her family. In the first photo, a baby boy and girl sat in a basket. The second picture portrayed a family of four at the beach: an adult man and woman, along with teenage versions of the babies from the other photo. All of them possessed stunning features, with beautiful russet, reddish-brown skin, and captivating hazel eyes.

The teens looked to be around my age. The girl in the picture was effortlessly flawless, possessing a beauty that could make people envious. She sported a purple bikini that accentuated her perfect body and defined abs.

What really caught my eye though was the boy in the picture. I swear his face had to be sculpted by angels. He was shirtless in the picture with the body of a sex god; his broad shoulders and chiseled abs made my mouth water. His ash-brown curls gracefully fell just above his shoulders.

I was tempted to pull out my phone and take a picture of this mysterious hottie, but I didn't want to get caught doing something weird like that. My mouth agape, I continued to gaze at the picture in disbelief. I cautiously checked my surroundings before seizing the frame to get a closer look. "There's no way someone this hot can actually exist in real life!" I murmur, my words unintentionally escaping my lips.

"I'll accept that as a compliment," a euphonious voice chuckled. "My son is indeed a real person."

"Oh, shit!" I exclaimed, jumping and nearly dropping the picture frame. I scrambled to place it back on the desk and turned to face the woman I recognized from the photo. "Uh, h-hi ma'am, I'm so sorry...I was just-" I stammered, my cheeks burning as I met her amused expression.

She continued laughing, giving a dismissive wave as she took a seat at her desk. "I'm Principal Greene. You must be David's daughter; you look so much like him."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Wait, how do you know my dad?" She mentioned his name as if he were an old friend. As far as I knew, according to my dad, this was supposed to be a "new beginning". My dad never mentioned knowing anyone from here.

Principal Greene continued, "We all grew up in this little town together; your parents used to go to school with me and my husband. We were all best friends, you know, until..." She trailed off, a hint of sadness in her expression. When she saw the confusion on my face, she pursed her lips into a thin line. "I'm so sorry about your mother."

The mere mention of Mom caused me to grimace in disgust. Why was Principal Greene apologizing, as if she had passed away or something? She willingly walked out on us!

"Uh, thanks," I replied, furrowing my eyebrows, "but I believe there's a mistake. My parents are from Colorado, and that's where they met. I was born and raised there as well." I hesitated, then continued, "I mean...we just moved here from their hometown a few days ago."

From the even more confused countenance on her face, I knew there was no mistake. My dad had been lying to me my entire life about where they were from and where I was born. But why? And what happened that made them dip out of here and start over across the country? What was my dad hiding?

"I-I'm sorry," she replied with a reassuring smile, "I'm sure your dad has his reasons for not telling you."

My eyes now prickled with tears. "Seriously? He has his reasons?" I exclaimed, throwing up my arms in frustration, "that's complete bull-”